AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT


        THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 (this "Amendment"),  dated as of April 30, 1998, to
the  Preferred  Shares  Rights  Agreement,  dated as of  December  12, 1996 (the
"Rights Agreement"),  between Pinnacle Systems,  Inc., a California  corporation
(the "Company"),  and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,  L.L.C., as Rights Agent
(the "Rights Agent").

          A. The  Company  and the Rights  Agent have  heretofore  executed  and
entered  into  the  Rights  Agreement.  Pursuant  to  Section  27 of the  Rights
Agreement,  the Company and the Rights Agent may from time to time supplement or
amend the Rights  Agreement  in  accordance  with the  provisions  of Section 27
thereof.

          B. The Board of  Directors  of the  Company  has  determined  that the
amendments to the Rights  Agreement set forth below are in the best interests of
the shareholders of the Company.

          In consideration of the foregoing and the mutual  agreements set forth
herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

         1. Section l(c) of the Rights  Agreement is hereby amended and restated
in its entirety to read as follows:

                  (c)  "Affiliate"  and  "Associate"  shall have the  respective
         meanings  ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
         Regulations under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
         "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement;  provided,
         however that the  acquisition by or beneficial  ownership of any Person
         of less than 20% of the "Voting  Securities"  (as defined in Rule 12b-2
         of the General  Rules and  Regulations  under the Exchange  Act) of any
         "Investment  Adviser" (as defined under the Investment  Advisers Act of
         1940, as amended (the "Investment Advisers Act")), registered under the
         Investment  Advisers Act,  shall not,  solely by virtue of ownership of
         such  Voting  Securities,  cause  such  Person  to be  deemed  to be an
         "Affiliate" or "Associate"  of such  Investment  Adviser nor shall such
         Investment  Adviser be deemed to be an  "Affiliate"  or  "Associate" of
         such Person.

         2. This Amendment shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of  California  and for all purposes  shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with all laws of such State  applicable to contracts
to be made and performed entirely within such State.

         3. This Amendment may be executed in any number of  counterparts,  each
of which shall be an original,  but such counterparts shall together  constitute
one and the same instrument.






         4. In all respects not  inconsistent  with the terms and  provisions of
this Amendment, the Rights Agreement is hereby ratified,  adopted,  approved and
confirmed. In executing and delivering this Amendment, the Rights Agent shall be
entitled to all the privileges and immunities afforded to the Rights Agent under
the terms and conditions of the Rights Agreement.

         5. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Amendment is
held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void
or  unenforceable,  the  remainder  of  the  terms,  provisions,  covenants  and
restrictions of this  Amendment,  and of the Rights  Agreement,  shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.


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         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be
duly executed as of the date and year first above written.


"COMPANY"                                   PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.


                                            By: /s/ MARK L. SANDERS
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Mark L. Sanders, President and 
                                                Chief Executive Officer


"RIGHTS AGENT"                              CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
                                            SERVICES, L.L.C.


                                            By: /s/JOSEPH W. THATCHER
                                                --------------------------------
                                            Name: Joseph W. Thatcher
                                                  ------------------------------
                                            Title: Assistant Vice President
                                                   -----------------------------

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